Coin County – A Bank in a Book

From an early age, children learn that you need money in order to purchase something from the store. It’s so much fun to let a young child pick something out, give him the exact change, and allow him to pay the clerk. You’re child will have an even stronger sense of satisfaction, though, if he uses his own money that he has saved to buy the item. This is where the book Coin County by Innovative Kids (illustrated by Jim Talbot) comes in.

Designed for children ages 5-9 (though you could use it with younger or older children as well), this “Bank in a Book” helps children learn the value of the different coins while building math skills. Created in a board book format, each page of Coin County features slots in which to place the coins, marked with a “P” for penny, a “D” for dime, an “N” for nickel, or a “Q” for quarter. By the time your child has the first two pages filled in, he’s save $3.81; when the second two pages are completed, he’ll have $4.61. So the book continues until every slot is filled and your child has saved over $20.00!

You can use this book in several ways:

If your child is saving up for something in particular, show him how many pages have to be filled in order to buy it. You might mark that page with a bookmark or sticky note.

Use it strictly as a savings plan. After your child has filled up the book, take him to the bank and open up a savings account for him. Each time the book is completed, make another deposit.

Teach your child the different ways to use money. Once the book is full of coins, teach him how to set some aside for spending, some for saving, and some for giving.

However you use it, you’ll find that Coin County is a good introduction into money management, especially for the very young!